Week 3 - In Defence of Rhetoric: No Longer Just for Liars

In Defence of Rhetoric –

The video – In Defence of Rhetoric: No longer just for liars discussed key arguments that make rhetoric, rhetoric. These arguments introduced the theory of rhetoric as a rhetorical speech used in many different ways and ways that we don’t even realize. Rhetoric is used every day and in nearly every decision.

The video defined rhetoric as a ‘study of technique using language effectively (2011).’ This language is used to persuade others and decisions made by others. The video introduced the idea that rhetoric influences our purchase decisions and is also ‘at the forefront of technology (2011).’ For example, when shopping our decisions are influenced by visual rhetoric to purchase this good. There has been something that has persuaded you to purchase this product, whether it is an advertisement of just the look of the good itself. You are being ‘rhetorically informed when shopping (2011),’ to ultimately be persuaded towards a purchase. This is a different and interesting way to think about rhetoric and how there are different ways it can influence people. ‘Rhetoric is a means of adjudicating between competing between knowledge claims (2011).’

Reference List:

Clemson University, ‘In Defnese of Rhetoric: No Longer just for Liars’, 2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYMUCz9bHAs&feature=youtu.be&hd=1, viewed 14 March 2014